Top woman Maoist held in Raipur

Raipur, July 6 (UNI) Chhattisgarh police have detained three Maoists, including a top woman naxalite, from near the state capital last night.

Nirmala alias Nirmala Akka, secretary of Dandakaranya Krantikari Mahila sangathan, her husband Jaipal Reddy and Mahindru, a resident of Belur of Narayanpur district, were detained in night and taken for interogation, police intelligence sources said.

The sources claimed that the Maoists were taken into custody after some former members of sangam -- village-level supporters of the rebels -- identified them and alerted the police.

Senior Superintendent of Police B S Maravi neither confirmed nor denied about the detention saying that ''At present, there is nothing to be disclosed to the media''.

Few days ago, a naxalite commander Subhash Ayatu and another rebel were arrested from Rajnandgaon district. Based on their interrogation, police also rounded up four persons, who were alleged associates of the naxalites.

Inspector General of Police (Raipur range) Y K S Thakur said the Maoists and their associates arrested from Rajnandgaon were remanded to police custody.

He said police had also seized about 100 kilograms to explosives, including TNT explosives with plastic mixing. He said this was a major seizure of explosives in the recent times.

Mr Thakur expressed hope that their interrogation could reveal more about the activities of outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoists) in the region.

UNI